That's What it Takes
by Lanerose
Summary: Although Fate Separates the Truest Lovers, Destiny Will Always Bring Them Together. Sequel to Moving On On Semipermanent Hiatus.
1. This is the true saga...

Author's Notes: Alack! Is it really time for me to be starting the sequel? I do suppose so. Oh well, so long as you people REVIEW and keep my ratio under 30 to 1, I really don't mind. However, if you don't…  
  
I don't own Gundam Wing, Sailor Moon, or the song that inspired this fic. I'd tell you all the song, but that would just spoil the (shocking) ending. ^_^ I'll put it at the end.  
  
To Everyone Who Was Hopelessly Lost While Reading the Epilogue of Moving On - you were supposed to be. Email me if you need it all summarized, and I'll send you an explanation for *most* of it.  
  
Hugs and chocolate to Beta Readers and Reviewers!  
  
Quote of the Week - "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:5, with a dedication to all my fellow students who had to memorize it!  
  
That's What it Takes - Sequel to Moving On, following A Small Boat  
By: Eternal Rose  
  
~* Opening Narration, AKA Prologue *~  
  
The words, "A long time ago" have often come to be associated with fairy tales, impossible stories of princesses and their knights in shining armor, of magic and sorcery, and more often than not, of love. This story begins with, "A long time ago", and it does tell the story of a princess and her prince, of magic and sorcery, and most importantly, of love. However, it is by no means a fairy tale. This is the true saga of a princess, her prince, and the love they shared that saved us all.  
  
A long time ago, civilization flourished throughout the universe. There was peace on an intergalactic level, and each person was celebrated and loved for being who they were. Now, that is not to say that it was without the minor trials and tribulations that we all still experience today. Parents fought with their children, and siblings held rivalries, as did countries, but no altercation was ever so great that it could not be solved with words. This period of time was not known by a name, for it was all the people had ever known. That which came before it, remembered only by the gods and goddesses who watched over it, was The Emptiness - lacking any life but the gods, and the time before the gods came into being was Nothing.  
  
It came to pass one day that two worlds far off from where our own now exists, and whose names have long since been forgotten, got into a fight with one another. Many other worlds tried to intervene, hosting peace conferences and talks, but nothing helped. Eventually, a war, the first of its kind, began. It seemed that the darkness that had existed before them all had come back in its strongest force to create a balance, and for many years, there was no peace anywhere.   
  
Then came something that no one had ever expected - The Titans decided to intervene, most especially Phoebe, the Titaness of the Moon. Phoebe kept a crystal, which glowed with a brilliance entirely its own, for it contained the purity of her own soul, the innocence of the light, the wisdom of the gods, and hope. With it, she sealed away the evil, and entered into a mortal life so that she might better watch over the rebuilding of the worlds. She became Queen Serenity, the first and only queen of the Moon Kingdom in the Silver Millennium. She brought peace and prosperity, and joy with the birth of her first son, but then she went and did something terrible - she got pregnant again and had twins, fulfilling a prophecy that was better left alone.  
  
The youngest child was a daughter, and being the child of two gods, she was herself a god. They named her Selene, and were delighted by her until destiny stepped in. The princess had grown to be sixteen years of age, and it was fast approaching the time when she would have to choose a husband. Earth was suggested as the best place to form an alliance, and so Selene, whom they usually called Serenity so that no one would realize she was a goddess, was offered a choice. She was told that she had to marry an Earth prince, but was to be given her pick of either one, and whoever she chose would be the next ruler of Earth as well as the Moon.  
  
Prince Endymion of Earth appeared to be everything that the young princess would want. He was dashing, a valiant knight of Earth, and a fair cry more talkative than his brother. He was also a cold, cruel, oppressing, sexist kisama, but not many people ever figured that out. Unfortunately for him, Serenity did. She saw though all of his tricks, and saw something else too. Serenity recognized the deep hurt in Heero, the pain he had suffered, and the love he was still capable of. It made her want to help him, and as she did, Serenity fell in love with him and he with her. Eventually, Serenity made the joyous announcement that she and the prince Heero were to be married, while he stood there, the corners of his lips turning up in a small smile.  
  
At the time, the decision was regarded as not the best choice, but a rather good one because it would allow the princess to be happy. No one anticipated the jealousy, the sheer envy that possessed Endymion when he realized he would not rule the Earth. He allied himself with the darkest of all forces, and convinced one of the Princess's protectors to join him. They launched a war against the Earth, and the Moon-Star Kingdom (for that was what the Moon Kingdom was renamed after Queen Serenity married King Andromeda, more commonly known as the Titan Hyperion.). Heero and Serenity were caught unaware as the two deserters attacked them. Heero was killed immediately, and Serenity, full of grief, followed him. As is commonly known, the only way for a god to die is by their own hand, and by tricking Serenity into killing herself, the villains were secure in what they had done.  
  
However, Queen Serenity once again used her mystical Silver Crystal, and sealed them away. She sent her daughter into the future, along with the Prince Endymion, and her senshi. They were all given false memories, in the hope that they would know peace. This, though, is not what this story is concerned with most.  
  
The deaths of Heero and Serenity were tragic, occurring far too early in their lives. However, it was neither the first nor last of its kind, for these lovers transcended time and space. One soul shared by two bodies, they have died for each other and been reborn once more time and time again. Their destiny was to continue on this cycle, until they finally were reunited forever. Fate stepped in to give them an even bigger destiny than it is possible for us to imagine…  
  
~* End Prologue *~  
  
Heehee, the rest of this is going to make a lot more sense. I just wanted to write a little legend and background for the story, and maybe to give you all a chance to catch up on what you missed, subtle hint dropping all the way! The other chapters will also be longer than this.  
  
REVIEW!!!!!!!  
  
*huggles*   
  
~Rose 


	2. Heero Yuy has been missing for over a mo...

Author's Notes: Beta readers are wonderful people. So are reviewers. *hugs* I don't own anything except for the plot, and you're bonkers if you think I do. REVIEW!!!!  
  
Quote of the Week: "Fiction reveals truths that reality obscures." I don't know who said it first, but I give credit to Sir Moogle, AKA Mark. *huggles*  
  
That's What it Takes - Chapter 1  
By: Eternal Rose  
  
"Are you guys ready?" Quatre Raberba Winner, pilot of the Gundam Sandrock, asked his fellow pilots. One by one, the other three nodded back. "Then here we go."  
  
The year is After Colony 196. The Christmas Eve of AC195 marked the end of the war between Earth and the Colonies, ushering in a new era of peace with the birth of the Earth Sphere United Nation. By AC196, the weapons used during the war had been abolished in the Earth Sphere. Nevertheless, war and strife never disappeared completely...  
  
The Gundam pilot Heero Yuy has been missing for over a month. His curious absence began almost immediately following the mysterious death of Tsukino Usagi. The others have all begun to fear that he may be injured, dead, or simply gone forever, never to return. However, they now have an even bigger problem on their hands as the few months of peace is shattered. For the first time in a long time, the pilots have been sent on a mission that without Wing Zero promises to be exceedingly difficult.  
  
"Why did this have to happen now?" Duo whined over the communication system. "Me and Makoto were going to go out tonight. I had it all planned and everything."  
  
"Shut up Duo." Wufei said, shaking his head. They were all flying towards Colony L4 on orders to destroy a base. To say the least, Dr. J had been more than a little upset when he discovered that Heero was no longer with them and no one knew how to reach him. So far as anyone knew, Heero still received his email, but for all of the letters they had sent, not one had gotten a response.  
  
"We're almost there." Trowa informed them. "Be prepared for a tough battle. The scientists said it would be hard, and that was when they still thought Heero would be coming with us."  
  
Slowly, the base came into sight. It had been built into the side of a cliff, and only the entrance was visible. As they approached, it quickly became obvious that the site had a radar detection system, because a large amount of mobile suits were suddenly flying out of the base towards them.  
  
"Trowa, you infiltrate the base. We'll hold off the suits until you get back, but try and be quick." Quatre instructed. "Stay safe and come back alive, ne?"  
  
Trowa nodded and disappeared off the comm link system. His Gundam Heavy Arms landed high atop the cliff, and remained hidden among the trees as its pilot exited. He looped a piece of rope around the Gundam's leg and quickly descended down the cliff. The other pilots did their best to distract the other mobile suits and successfully held their attention until Trowa was safely inside of the base.  
  
While Trowa hunted for the disk, approximately thirty mobile suits decided to gang up on the three other Gundams. Wufei and Shenlong (Nataku) were holding their own, handling as many suits as they could at one time. Duo was making full use of Deathscythe's Scythe to destroy many suits in a single blow. Likewise, Quatre and Sandrock were doing fairly well.  
  
"You all better watch out cause Shinigami's coming to get you!" Duo yelled maniacally as the suits tried to out-maneuver him and the others.  
  
"Baka." Wufei muttered under his breath.  
  
~* Inside the Base *~  
  
The moment Trowa stepped inside the base, he was confronted with a multitude of attackers. About twenty men were standing there, guns aimed and at the ready. Trowa gave a mental sigh. If this was what happened when he was right about something, Trowa couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he was wrong. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly before he had to start defending him.  
  
What's the quickest and most efficient way to get rid of a large group of men? Simple - one by one. Bam. Bam. Two men down, eighteen to go. Three of the men charged him. Trowa, demonstrating the agility and acrobatic skills of his clown past, leaped high into the air as the three men couldn't stop and fell out of the base and off the cliff. While he was coming down, Trowa managed to shoot another of the men. Fourteen left, and they certainly weren't getting any smarter.   
  
One of the men thought that leaping at Trowa and knocking him down would be an efficient way to kill him. The man leaped. Trowa ducked. The man went to meet his maker, falling off a cliff with a huge scream.   
  
A group of four of the men tried to creep in, one from each direction. Each of them leveled his gun at Trowa, and squeezed off a single shot at the man keeping near the ground. With startling speed, Trowa once again bounded high into the ground, and suddenly there were four more bodies on the ground and only nine men left standing.  
  
The men formed a line and linked arms, keeping their rifles leveled at Trowa. He smirked slightly. These guys couldn't actually be dumb enough to think that would work, could they? Apparently so, because they stayed that way and waited for Trowa to move, daring him with their eyes. He studied their positioning. Three of them had their guns pointed high into the air, and three at a midpoint somewhere below the others, so leaping over them was out of the question. The final three were all pointing straight at Trowa.  
  
Trowa somersaulted over to the line, and kicked the legs out from under the first man in the line. Like a row of dominos, they all fell over. All of them dropped their guns, and three of them were knocked unconscious when they hit their heads on the floor. Trowa grabbed the two guns nearest him quickly, and pointed them towards the other soldiers, who were still getting up. One rolled at Trowa, who simply shot the guy in the head. Two of them ran for the entrance to the cave, and started climbing down to the water. The other two joined most of their previous companions with a round each from the guns.  
  
Trowa slipped smoothly from the main entrance room, and headed down a narrow corridor. For all of the guards they had put in the main entrance chamber, the rest of the hallways were astonishingly clear. He immediately noted that there was a camera located in each corridor, and so he promptly shot them all out, making his way carefully down the hall to the computer.  
  
The door to the computer room was tightly locked, but all of the pilots are expert lock-picks, and so it wasn't really a challenge. However, it did take him a couple of minutes to get the door open. The first thing Trowa saw when he got the door open was a shadowy figure typing at the computer. In an instant, his gun was up; ready to kill the man to get the data. However, there was something familiar about the man before him.  
  
"Turn around." He commanded, his voice low and dangerous. The man slowly raised his head from the computer, and complied. As he turned around, the man raised his right hand and immediately had his gun leveled at Trowa.  
  
For a few moments, the two just stared at each other, each daring the other to make the first move. Then, cautiously, the man at the computer reached behind him and grabbed a disk, his eyes never leaving Trowa's. He took a step forward, and Trowa's eyes widened in shock.  
  
"Heero."  
  
~* Many Years Ago *~  
  
"Oh, Adam!" Jessica cried, running out to meet her love. "I've missed you so much these past few days. Wherever have you been?"  
  
"I'm sorry, my dear one." He said quietly, dropping his bags to pick her up and swing her around. "I had to go and retrieve the supplies that your family will need this winter."  
  
"Adam, you should have told me you were going away." Jessica reproached him. "I could have come with you, and we could finally have eloped."  
  
"Jessica, you know we can't do that." Adam's face was quiet and sad. "Your father has given me strict directions that after I deliver these supplies my services will not be needed until after the winter is over. Possibly never again."  
  
Jessica gasped, and held him tighter. "I won't let him! Why can't he see that we love each other? Doesn't he know how greatly it hurts me when he takes you away from me, and commands you to be gone from us? I thought that he loved and understood me."  
  
"Dearest, your father loves you very much, and only wants what is best for you." Adam whispered fiercely into her ear. "I wish, I dearly wish, that I was what is best for you. But I'm not. We both know I'm not."  
  
"Following my heart is what is best for me." She said and leaned back to stare into his eyes. "You are the only person in my heart, now or ever, and I won't let you just decide to leave it. We started something, you and I. We weren't supposed to, and it certainly wasn't what my father intended when he hired you, but nevertheless we did. I won't let him be the end of it."  
  
"Stars, Jess, I do love you so." Adam said, giving her lips a chaste kiss. "And that is why it must be as it is. I won't lead you to a life of ruin, have you be called filth, a lowly thing who denied her father's wishes and married against his will. You will be no one's whore, not even mine."  
  
"Am I not desirable?" Jessica asked, hurt creeping into her eyes. "Would you be ashamed to have a wife called such things?"  
  
"Jessica." Adam said clearly, and caught her face with his hand. He forced her to look into his eyes. "I love you. I always have and always will."  
  
"Then stay." She whispered. "Stay."  
  
"I'm so sorry, my dearest Jess." Adam said, hurriedly moving the goods inside the house, then leaving. "I'm so very very sorry. We'll meet again, one day, and all will be well."  
  
Adam walked out the door, and disappeared down the snow-covered path. In time, both he and Jessica grew old, and married others, condemned to live loveless lives by their circumstances. However, there is more to their story than simply that.  
  
Jessica and Adam were soulmates, who sacrificed for each other's good, as they must. In life, their bond was a painful reminder of what might have been. In death, it became something more. Jessica and Adam were neither the first nor the last of their kind. Their soul has transcended the generations, in many stages and forms. Each time it leaves, it comes back as someone else. They are destined to one day be eternally happy, but fated to go through much trial before it arrives. They were fated to one day use their love to save the world.  
  
They were destined to become Heero and Serenity…  
  
~* End Chapter 1 *~  
  
Are you confused yet? I'm sure I must have lost you all about halfway through. Let me explain something about this story - it is very different from Moving On. That's What it Takes (or Twit, as I lovingly call it) is going to be more focused on aspects of the Gundam Wing dimension, fate, and destiny. Naturally, though, you can't do a crossover without the friendly senshi. I'll write more soon, 'k?  
  
~Rose  



	3. "Will I ever be reborn again?"

Author's Notes: I don't own them. Don't sue. I do love my beta readers and reviewers though!!! Keep my ratio under 30 to 1, and we all go home happy (and the next chapter gets up faster.)  
  
And to the 16 people who have me on Author Alert - If you like my writing, I'd appreciate a review. I'm sure that as an author you can appreciate the intense desire for feedback. If you've decided you don't like my writing, take me off of author alert so that I won't get my hopes up. Thank you.  
  
Quote of the Week: "Getting Rose angry really isn't something you want to do - who knows how secure her mental institute really is?" ~ I have no idea who first said this, so I give credit to everyone who's ever seen me annoyed.  
  
This chapter is dedicated to my beta reader Cheryl, who is currently in the hospital for reasons unknown to me. *hugs* Get better soon!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
That's What It Takes - Chapter 2  
By: Eternal Rose  
  
"Heero." Trowa said, his eyes widening in shock. They continued to stare at each other, although both lowered their guns.  
  
"Trowa." Heero replied, nodding his head. He stepped calmly closer, heading towards the door. "What are you doing here? The plan specifically stated that I would infiltrate the base."  
  
"We weren't sure you'd be here." Heero glared at him, and Trowa shrugged him shoulders casually. "Someone had to take up the slack left by your disappearance for the past few months."  
  
An eyebrow arched, but Heero said nothing as he motioned for Trowa to follow him. Now was neither the time nor place to discuss such things. The two cautiously sneaked out into the hallway, and back through the base to the entrance. The trip was completely uneventful, save one or two random soldiers who died long before they realized what was about to happen.  
  
When they reached the mouth of the cave, Trowa immediately headed towards his rope, intent on climbing back to his Gundam and helping the others. Heero, on the other hand walked right over to the edge of the cliff and jumped off it. Had it been in Trowa's nature to scream, it is likely he would have at that moment, watching his friend jump into a pit that had already killed five or more men that day. However Heero, in his usual style, released a parachute at the last possible moment and landed precisely in the water. Trowa shrugged and continued climbing.  
  
The rest of the battle was pretty typical. Scythe, beam cannon, and all of the other usual weapons were used to destroy the other mobile suits until the remaining ones gave up and ran away. It was only after the battle that the pilots had time to talk amongst themselves…  
  
"So Heero, where have you been buddy?" Duo asked, curiosity ringing in his voice. Heero rewarded him with the traditional "Glare of Death Say Another Word and I Will Kill You" look. Each pilot inwardly sighed, half relief and half despair, although none gave any outward indication of it. Relief was for the fact that Heero was still alive, and better yet that he could still fight and fight well. Despair came from the emotionless look on his face as they headed back towards Quatre's mansion.  
  
"Heero, do you think you could come back with us?" Quatre asked. "I'm sure that the others will be glad to see you again."  
  
Heero grunted what sounded like an assent, and the pilots relaxed slightly. It had been agreed without a word that Heero would be coming back with them even if they had to resort to dragging him. However, it made life easier if he came of his own accord. This way they wouldn't have to worry about him doing whatever was necessary to escape.  
  
The rest of the flight passed without incident, none speaking but all aware of the others presence.  
  
~* The Astral Realm *~  
  
"Mother!" Serenity called loudly. "Mother!"  
  
"Relax, my darling, I'm here." Queen Serenity appeared before her daughter, and smiled at her. Serenity, however, was too busy shaking to calm down. In a move she had learned from her beloved, Serenity glared at her long dead mother.  
  
"Remind me to not make both you and Heero mad at the same time." Said the Queen, a hint of humor in her voice. "I don't think I'd survive receiving that glare twice at one time."  
  
"Mother, this situation is not in the least bit amusing." Serenity said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why am I here? And what was that dream about? I could hear your voice towards the end, telling me that the girl I dreamed I was and the boy I was with were destined to become myself and Heero."  
  
"Serenity, do you remember what happened just before you entered that dream?" The elder woman asked, watching her daughter's face cautiously. This crucial piece of information that seemed to be missing could destroy her precious child. No one wants to hurt their own child.  
  
"Well…" Serenity's voice trailed off as she tried to recall. Her face screwed up as she searched her memory. "I was battling against Endymion. He and Metallia had managed to corrupt Beryl's mind. Heero was fighting Endymion with a sword, but Heero's leg was wounded and wouldn't support him. Endymion raised his sword to strike the last blow, but I couldn't let him, and so I used the Crystal to fix everything and then I was in the dream."  
  
"I am sorry to tell you that there was more to it then that." The queen said, a note of pain in her voice. "Serenity, you used the Crystal far too often that day. You are aware that it all happened over the course of a single day, aren't you? From the time you defeated the youma until the time you destroyed Endymion, a mere day had passed. You were drained and running out of energy. So much so as to cause your body to dissolve when you finally saved your friends."  
  
"Did I… did I die?" Serenity's eyes were wide. She looked at her mother, trying her best not to cry. The queen's heart went out to her, and she took her daughter in her arms.  
  
"The events I have told you about took place three months ago." Serenity gasped.  
  
"Heero…" she whispered, and looked up imploringly. "Is Heero all right? What about the others? Do they know what happened to me? Am I going to be reborn again, so that I can be with them again? Mother, tell me, please!"  
  
"The others watched your body disappear." The sad look filled the eyes of both mother and daughter, and the princess began to sob at her mother's next words. "Heero is not all right at all. A few days after the battle, Heero tried to kill himself. Unconsciously, you knew he needed you and sent your spirit to talk him out of it."  
  
"He hasn't been the same since, has he mother?" The queen shook her head in response. "I've caused him so much pain… You still didn't answer my question, though. Will I be reborn to be with them again?"  
  
"No."  
  
  
~* GW Dimension - Quatre's Mansion *~  
  
"I wonder what's taking them so long." Minako pondered aloud. The pilots had said that they would only be gone for a short time, but that had been hours ago. Their missions, as they called them, sounded so dangerous that it was hard to believe they'd been doing them for so long it was hard to believe that they were still alive.  
  
"Well, given the distance from here to the base, as well as factoring time to defeat all of those mobile suits, sneak into the base, retrieve the data, and fight their way back out again, it is physically impossible for them to have returned by now." Ami said. For the past three months, her mind had been a veritable sponge, soaking up all of the new technology and ideas available. The others rolled their eyes slightly.  
  
Since the death of their princess, all of the senshi had remained together in the hopes of being able to move on from her death. At first, there had been a slight tension between the outer and inner senshi, but it had faded to the point of non-existence as they all came to realize who was to blame for Serenity's death - no one. She had once again chosen to die to save them all, and their was nothing to be done save getting to be allies and friends as she had wanted them to be.  
  
Each of them still felt the pain of her loss and Heero's disappearance, and it manifested itself in each of them differently. Haruka and Michiru had thrown themselves into their music, most of it losing its once joyous tone and becoming melancholy and sad. Together they wrote a beautiful song titled, "For the Princess", which they dedicated to Serenity.   
  
Minako's bright, cheerful nature had dimmed slightly, and she and Motoki had drawn strength from one another. Quatre had gladly taken up the task of showing Ami everything about his dimension, and both were grateful for the distraction from their problems. The beloved brothers of Serenity visited her memorial every other week, each always bringing along a peach rose.  
  
Rei and Wufei had both turned to higher powers to find a reason for their troubles. Many hours were spent meditating on the subject at first, as well as physically training to release their pent-up emotions. Wufei also occasionally instructed Ami in their world, for his past as a scholar had left him with a vast supply of knowledge. Setsuna and Zechs had once again disappeared into a time portal, taking Chibi Usa with them.  
  
Makoto had taken over the kitchen, and kept herself busy teaching Duo how to cook a million different things without destroying the kitchen. Surprisingly, the firemen had only been called in once or twice. Meanwhile, Hotaru and Trowa had been wrapped up in searching for new and more unique lamps to add to their collection.  
  
All the while, they had worried and fretted about Heero. There had not been a single day that passed when he was not thought of or mentioned, in hopes, in prayers, in longings. Fear was the most overpowering emotion experienced when they dwelled on Heero - the fear that he had followed the one he loved into oblivion by taking his own life.  
  
"Hey, is that them?" Hotaru asked, pointing at the sky. The others joined her at the window, and watched as the flying blob slowly separated. One, two, three, four mobile suits they counted. Shock spread across their faces as the fourth suit spread apart and became two distinct shapes.  
  
"You don't think that…" Makoto's voice trailed off hopefully, staring at the approaching five.  
  
"I hope so." Michiru said, concentrating hard on the mobile suits. Ami had whipped out her computer and was scanning them. "I really hope so."  
  
"You guys," Ami said, and a smile had appeared on her face. "Heero's with them. He's still alive, and he's coming back to us!"  
  
"Thank Goddess!" Rei proclaimed. "I hope whatever he was looking for out there he found. Even if he didn't, at least we can help him while he's here with us."  
  
"Hmmm." Haruka murmured. The others turned to look at her, and her face showed a hint of ironic amusement. "At least now Koneko-chan won't have an excuse to be angry with us for not taking care of him for her."  
  
As the suits landed, they all hastened out to the hanger. One by one, the pilots opened the doors of their suits, and climbed from their suits, until only Heero remained hidden from view. Slowly, the door to his cockpit opened, and he slid to the ground.  
  
"Omae o korosu." Heero's monotone filled the room immediately as he raised his gun and leveled it at the girls. The other pilots turned to stare at him.  
  
"Heero?" Quatre asked uncertainly, looking at his sister's love closely for the first time. There were huge bags under his eyes that hinted at sleep deprivation, and he was thinner than he had been previously. His face was cold, and every bit as emotionless as his voice. Fear slid into Quatre's heart.  
  
"Who are these people?" Heero asked, his gun never wavering for a second, not even as they all continued to stare at him. "What are they doing here?"  
  
"You don't remember, do you? You don't remember who they are." Trowa asked quietly. Heero glared at him, and the entire room froze when Heero responded.  
  
"Remember what? I've never met them before in my life."  
  
~* End Chapter 2 *~  
  
  
  
  
O.o;;;; What was I on when I decided how to write this chapter? And what does Heero mean, he doesn't remember them? O.o   
  
*grins nefariously* You'll all find out soon enough, but I already know and I'm not telling yet! Review and you get the next chapter, ne?  
  
~Rose  



	4. The Guardian of the Light...

Author's Notes: Wow, you people panicked a lot faster than I thought you would. Now, haven't I always asked you to trust me? Believe me when I say that Serenity not being reborn is actually a good thing, and you'll see why later this chapter. Now go read.  
  
Quote of the Week: "You don't understand. She has just seen the person she loves most die. Any person will flee from that harsh reality…" Tomo of Fushigi Yuugi said this.  
  
Peace and love to beta readers and reviewers. Don't we all love peace? Than REVIEW or the next chapter will not be posted for a while.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
That's What It Takes - Chapter 3  
By: Eternal Rose  
  
"Remember what? I've never met them before in my life." Heero's words threw all of them for a loop. How could he not remember them? After everything they had been through, after all that had come to pass, after… Serenity. How could he have let all of that just slip away?  
  
"Heero, could you come with me for a second? I could use your help repairing Heavyarms." Trowa asked. When he noticed the strength of Heero's ongoing glare, he added, "Don't worry, they won't do anything."  
  
Heero grunted, then walked slowly back towards the garage. He tossed one more suspicious look over his shoulder before he disappeared out of sight. The others stared in wide-eyed disbelief after Heero, then turned their gazes to Trowa, who's face held the slightest hint of sadness and understanding.  
  
"What's the matter with him?" Duo said, regaining his voice once again. "Why doesn't he remember them?"  
  
"Do you think… do you think Renity used her crystal to take away his memories?" Minako asked quietly. Sadness filled her beautiful blue eyes, and Motoki wrapped an arm around her.  
  
"Why would Usagi just take away his memories of her?" Rei asked, indignation in her voice. "Why wouldn't she take all of our memories?"  
  
"She didn't take his memories." Trowa said. They all turned to stare at him, and the compassion in his eyes was unmistakable, though neither his face nor his voice hinted at it.  
  
"Trowa?" Quatre asked, confusion filling his voice and mannerisms. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he stared at his friend. "You don't mean that…"  
  
"Don't mean what?" Wufei quarried when Quatre didn't finish speaking. Ami, too, looked slightly frightened as what the two pilots were talking about came to her. Slowly, slowly, each of them came to the same realization, and none of them were any happier about it then the others. Finally, only Duo and Minako had not figured it out yet.  
  
"Ok, so let me get this straight." Duo said. "Heero doesn't remember them, or any of our Silver Millennium past, and it has nothing to do with Serenity using her Silver Crystal. Are you sure about that? She was pretty liberal with that thing the last time I saw her, and I doubt she'd want to leave Heero pain. But no, I guess you're right cause she wouldn't have left any of us pain if she could avoid it - "  
  
"Maxwell." Wufei interrupted him. "This is really fairly obvious. For someone who claims to be Shinigami, you really have no idea of how people react to death."  
  
"So it does have something to do with Serenity!" Minako declared. Haruka and Michiru exchanged looks. "Now, Holmes, what else can we use to get these people to explain this to us?"  
  
"Pssst… Haruka." Michiru whispered. Haruka turned and looked at her lover, curiosity becoming the reigning emotion. "Do you have any idea what she's talking about?" Haruka shook her head. "Me neither."  
  
"You guys," Ami started. "Haven't you ever heard that stress can do strange things to people?"  
  
They stared blankly at her. Ami rolled her eyes and continued. "You guys, Serenity didn't cause this directly, but rather it was the consequence of her actions. When Serenity died, Heero couldn't force himself to go on with the memories of what he had lost. So rather than fight his emotions to survive, he did what he has been taught his whole life to do - he blocked."  
  
"So you're saying that Heero doesn't remember her cause he doesn't want to?" Duo asked. "But why wouldn't he want to know about his true love, his soulmate? Or heck, why wouldn't he just wanna know about Renity? She was the best."  
  
"Duo!" Minako exclaimed, and she whapped him upside the head. "You really don't know much about love, do you? He has a soul bond, the rarest and deepest bond a person can have to another. When you have a soul bond, being away from the person on the other end of it is the hardest thing in the universe to do."  
  
"Oh shit." Duo said, and he looked at the others, finally catching on. "Heero is refusing the accept the fact that she existed so he won't have to deal with pain, isn't he?"  
  
Everyone nodded, or rolled his or her eyes. Wufei was heard to grumble, "Took you long enough…"  
  
"That said, you guys," Motoki remarked, "What do we do now?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~* Astral Realm *~  
  
"No." The word fell as a death sentence from the elder Serenity's lips, and the princess crashed to her knees. Tears filled her cerulean eyes, and quickly began to overflow. The queen ran and held her daughter before speaking again. "Usagi, it isn't what you think."  
  
"How is it not what I think, mother? If I can't be reborn, then I can never see my friends again!" The anguished teenager exclaimed. Her mother ran a soothing hand over her hair, and she easily relaxed into the comforting embrace.  
  
"Darling, you presume things far too quickly." Queen Serenity said, a small smile on her face. "You won't be reborn, true, but there's a very good reason for that!"  
  
"What very good reason could there possibly be to keep me away from my Heero?" Usagi yelled.  
  
"Who said anything about keeping you from him?" The queen asked. "Serenity, you won't be reborn for one reason, and one reason only - you're not dead!"  
  
"I'm… I'm not dead?" Serenity's voice faltered. Could it possibly be true? Could she really still be alive, still be able to go and be with her love, to heal his heart and bring him back to himself. For even now, she knew he was not all right. He was fine, but in the sense of the words a teacher once told her, not in the true meaning of the word.  
  
"No, you're not. Don't you remember what I told you the first time we met in this realm?" Queen Serenity asked. At her daughter's inquisitive look, she continued. "You are the Goddess Diana / Artemis, a reincarnation of the Goddess Selene."  
  
"That's right!" Serenity gasped. "And you are Phoebe, my mother. Father was Hyperion. The Titan of the sun and the Titaness of the Moon combining to create a Goddess of the Light. That's the old legend you always told me when I was younger, and wanted to know why you and father risked having extra children after Motoki was born. It was to pass on your powers, so that someone could take your places one day."  
  
"Yes, my dear daughter." The elder Serenity responded before revealing her true self, the Titaness Phoebe. "The time has come for you to inherit your full powers, and relieve me completely of my obligations as Moon Guardian. There is also someone else here who has something to give you."  
  
"Father?" Serenity whispered hopefully. She cast her eyes around the realm created as her haven, seeking a face she hadn't seen in over a millennium. Her eyes finally locked on the man who had helped create her. She ran to him, and locked her arms around him, crying out, "Father!"  
  
"Sweet Serenity." Hyperion said, holding his beloved child as tightly as he could, as though he would never let her go. "Oh, I have missed your smiling face around Olympus."  
  
"Hyperion, my wonderful husband," Phoebe interrupted, "I believe you are forgetting the reason we came here. The time has come to give our Guardian her powers."  
  
"But Mother, doesn't Quatre inherit father's powers?" Serenity asked, confused.  
  
"Oh, don't worry about Helios." Hyperion interrupted. "He will receive powers of his own in due time, but it is imperative that we take care of you now. Transform!"  
  
"All right…" Serenity replied, slightly unsure still. She closed her eyes, and in a flash of radiant light* she appeared as the Goddess that she truly was, Artemis / Diana / Selene. She laughed softly. "It's funny, but with so many names, I don't really know what to be called in this form."  
  
"Diana. You should definitely call yourself Diana." Hyperion told her quite seriously, before a mischievous smirk overcame his face. "After all, Diana is the only name you have that's associated with virginity."  
  
"Hyperion!" Phoebe shrieked, slapping her husband's shoulder playfully. He smiled penitently, and the Titaness found that she couldn't stop herself from returning the smile. The two leaned in and claimed the other's lips. Phoebe sighed as she pulled back. "I have missed that, but right now we have to take care of something a little more important, don't we?"  
  
The girl watched her parents, eyes wide. She laughed quietly, before speaking again. "Artemis. I want to call myself Artemis."  
  
"Do you mind my asking why? Because, really, for my part, I find Diana to be quite a lovely name…" Hyperion's voice trailed off when he saw the mock - glare his wife was giving him.  
  
"The other names are reminders of other things." At her parent's curious expressions, she continued. "Endymion told me a long time ago that Selene was associated with the name Endymion, so I won't go by that. Better to forget him. Diana was the name Heero knew me by the first time we met in what is for him this lifetime. It wouldn't be good to constantly remind him of the pain he suffered because of one of my deaths."  
  
"You really are very wise, my daughter." Phoebe said. A playful smile teased her lips. "You must take after me. Now dear, it is time to begin the ceremony. First of all, you must call upon the Silver Crystal and give it to me. This is the last time I shall ever use its power."  
  
The Crystal was called in a moment, and the royal symbols of those gathered blazed forth upon their foreheads. The two soon to be former rulers joined hands, and smiled at their daughter, motioning for her to kneel. She carefully went down upon her knees, and looked up at her parents expectantly.  
  
"Daughter, you must keep your eyes focused on the Crystal." Phoebe said. "Stare deep into its recesses, and you will feel yourself be swept away on a wave of power. Let that power wash over you, and merge with what you already have."  
  
Artemis nodded, and looked as far into the Crystal as her eyes could see. When they saw that she was totally focused, Phoebe and Hyperion began the ritual.  
  
"In the beginning, when there were only the gods, a future was foretold." Phoebe intoned. "A legend, a prediction that one day, the Moon Titaness and the Sun Titan would join, and through their union, the heir of the universe would be born."  
  
"She was not to be its ruler, but rather its protector." Hyperion continued. "Blessed with the power of the light, she was to drive the darkness from its hiding places. However, she was not expected to do so alone. In exchange for the life that she would be forced to give in servitude for others, she was to be granted a companion, who would be with her forever."  
  
"Brother or lover, brother or lover, the prophecy declares. In time she will be forced to choose, for only one will be allowed to go with her." Phoebe recited. "For now, we must take the first step in helping her on her way to removing the darkness. We come here today to give the Guardian her powers."  
  
"In the name of the Sun," Hyperion declared, pouring his powers into the Crystal.  
  
"By the name of the Moon," Phoebe said, adding her own powers. Together they finished the declaration.  
  
"We join our powers, those of light, and give them to its Guardian, the Goddess Selene. Through this transfer she will at last receive the powers which have always been intended for her. We ask now that the transfer occur, and forever install her as the Guardian of the Light."  
  
A blinding flash of light filled the room.  
  
~* End Chapter 3 *~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*It just so happens that I actually have an explanation for why I was so obsessed with those damn flashes of light. Yay!  
  
CHALLENGE! - Anyone who can tell me what "Fine"stands for, tell me and I will give you your choice - more of this or more of "I Have a Headache" next? Warning - some of the language used to explain it isn't exactly kind.  
  
I'll try to have more out over the weekend, but I'm not making any guarantees.  
  
*hugs*  
  
~Rose  



	5. What? You thought a little thing like d...

Author's Notes: Sorry for not having this up sooner, but FFN and my modem decided it would be fun to annoy me. I've had this chapter for a while, but couldn't upload it. Wanna know something? Here's the bad news - I've got a new idea for a story, and I think I'll be starting it, too. It's a SM / FY crossover, but for now, I'll postpone it a touch.  
  
As always, as usual, I don't own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon. I just kidnap the characters to write stories with. Hugs and chocolate to my beta readers Cheryl and Janine, especially Cheryl, who tried to upload this too. (FFN not liking my account for a few days, mayhaps?)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
That's What It Takes - Chapter 4  
By: Eternal Rose  
  
~* GW Dimension *~  
  
"That said, you guys," Motoki remarked, "What do we do now?" The pilots and senshi exchanged glances, losing themselves in their thoughts. Although this certainly left Heero better prepared to fight, it hurt them all to witness him this way. In the long run, it could bring him only pain…  
  
The decision was taken out of their hands as a blinding white light filled the room, the likes of which had not been seen since a certain Moon Princess disappeared. Everyone blinked their eyes against the powerful glare. When it finally cleared, the expressions of the people in the room could be described as nothing short of shocked.  
  
"Honestly," Serenity said after a moment, a wide grin spreading itself over her face, "from the looks on your faces you'd think I was dead or something. Really now, is this any way to greet a friend whom you haven't seen in months?"  
  
"Renity?" Duo approached slowly and cautiously, like a frightened deer. He reached out and softly poked her arm. "It is you!"  
  
"No, its not." Serenity said, laughter and sarcasm running through her voice. "I'm just a figment of your overactive imaginations that you all decided to see at the same time."  
  
"Seriously?" Minako asked. She looked at her, head off to the side. Then she straightened and shook her head. "Nah, it has to be you. If it was my imagination, I wouldn't be able to employ a plethora of words like you just did, nor would I have adopted the technical jargon that you utilized."  
  
Everyone face faulted. Ami stopped from the scan she had been administering on Serenity to look at Minako. She began typing away, while the others remained silent.  
  
"As highly improbable as it may sound," Ami remarked when her calculations were complete, "it seems Minako actually said that. Not only that, but odds suggest that she knew precisely what she was saying as she said it."  
  
"Well I guess somebody's been studying the past few months!" Serenity declared. Again, the glazed and confused faces of her friends faced her. She laughed at them. "Now really, what's the matter with all of you? Did you really think a battle against that Mamoru-baka would be enough to kill me? I'm a Goddess; he's a mortal! What are the odds he could destroy me?"  
  
"Ami, is it really her?" Makoto asked, her voice pleading and quiet. "Please, please tell me its her."  
  
Ami didn't respond with words. Instead, she ran forward and flung her arms around Serenity. Tears filled her eyes, and she sobbed into the arms of her princess and friend. The others took the hint, and soon Serenity was mobbed by a large group of hugs, tears, and friends.  
  
"How?" Rei asked when the mob had quieted and she finally regained her voice. "I'm eternally grateful for it, but how? How did you manage to get back to us?"  
  
"Rei," Serenity said, and gave her another hug. "I can't die until I choose to because I'm a goddess. My energy was so depleted by the battle against Mamoru that my mortal body couldn't take it."  
  
"So your body disintegrated, right?" Ami asked. "That's why we saw all those sparkles…"  
  
"Sparkles?" Serenity shrugged. "I don't know anything about sparkles, but then again I suppose I wouldn't. So anyway, I was thrown into this extremely cryptic and apparently three month long dream. When it was finally over, I awoke in the astral realm. Oh Quatre, Motoki, I only wish you could have been there!"  
  
"Renity?" Quatre said curiously, looking deep into his twin's eyes. He and Ami were now seated on a couch across from the chair where Serenity sat. "What happened while you were there?"  
  
"Something I've been waiting over a thousand years for." Serenity replied. A brilliant smile painted itself on her face as her eyes sparkled joyfully. "Mom and Dad met me there, and gave me my full powers."  
  
"Mom and Dad?" Motoki remarked with surprise. "As in, our parents from the Silver Millennium? Queen Serenity and King Andromeda? Phoebe and Hyperion? Goddess of the Moon and God of -"  
  
"Yes Motoki!" She laughed. "Do we really have to get into saying all of their names? It takes about as long as saying all of mine! Quatre, they told me that they'll be seeing you soon to give you what belongs to you too. I'm pretty sure you already have your powers, right Motoki?"  
  
"But of course, my dear little sister!" Motoki laughed, and pulled Minako into his embrace. "How else was I supposed to protect you all in the days of the ancient kingdom?"  
  
"My knight in shining tinfoil!" Minako declared, stars in her eyes. Serenity burst out laughing, and so did the others. "What? What's so funny?"  
  
"Same old Minako!" Serenity said. "Do me a favor and don't ever change, ok? What would I do for entertainment without your botched quotation?"  
  
"Why, you'd listen to Duo!" Haruka said, a serious expression on her face. "After all, nothing logical ever comes out of him."  
  
"Haruka!" Michiru admonished her partner. She gently smacked her shoulder, then smiled. "Of course, Serenity could always just watch you race. That's always could for a laugh."  
  
"Michiru!"  
  
"I'm just kidding!" She replied moving over and wrapping her arms around Haruka's neck. "You know I love watching you race. It's so exciting! You're really excellent at it too, and I've got the pictures to prove it."  
  
"Women." Wufei muttered under his breath. Rei glared at him, and he slowly shook his head. "Rei, you really are the only one of them that's worth anything."  
  
Rei continued glaring at him. Wufei looked up at her, confused. She glanced pointedly at Serenity, still not saying a word. Ever so slowly, Wufei followed her gaze. His eyes locked on those of a none too amused Moon Princess, and her equally un-entertained siblings whom he was supposed to protect. Right behind them was a large ensemble of assorted senshi, all of whom appeared surprisingly feminine.  
  
"Ummmm, just kidding. What I meant to say was that umm…" Wufei trailed off, making a mental note never to open his mouth on this subject in their presence again. As it turns out, there actually were a great number of strong women in the world. Thankfully, Wufei was saved by a timely observation of Serenity's.  
  
"Where's Heero, you guys?" she asked, hope and excitement filling her face. "I can't wait to see him again."  
  
The others looked at each other, and apprehension seized hold of Serenity's heart. Something must have happened to Heero, something that they didn't want to tell her about. Queen Serenity had told her that he had tried to kill himself, but had been unsuccessful. Even if they knew about it, that surely would not have stopped them from taking her to him.  
  
"What happened to Heero?" Serenity asked, panic rising into her voice. "Where is he? Why are you all looking at each other like that?"  
  
"Sere…" Quatre started. He went over and again hugged his twin, taking her gently into his embrace. "Right after you disappeared, so did Heero. He just up and left. We hadn't seen him since - "  
  
"So you just let him walk out of here after seeing me disappear!" Serenity shrieked. "Honestly, I gave you credit for more intelligence than that! No wonder he almost succeeded in killing himself -"  
  
"He tried to kill himself?" Trowa asked ponderously. "But how would you know that if you weren't here?"  
  
"Mother told me." Serenity responded. "When she and father gave me my powers, they told me a few interesting things along with them. One of which happened to be that my one and only tried to remove himself from the planet, but I unknowingly sent my soul out to make him stop and keep living."  
  
"Anyway, the boys went on a mission today." Hotaru said, gracefully turning the conversation back to matters at hand.  
  
"While they were there, they ran into an unexpected glitch that worked out ok in the end." Motoki interjected. "Heero had also shown up at the base. The boys didn't really do much talking while they flew back, or at least, Heero didn't talk much on the way back. But when he got here…"  
  
"Heero doesn't remember any of them." Duo said. His joyful eyes were no longer as jovial as they usually were. (A/N: Meg, its Jovian! n/m) "All he remembers is the four of us guys, and his mission. Ami said something about repressing memories."  
  
"Sere, you're death was too much for him to handle." Ami said compassionately. "Heero is one of the strongest people I've ever met. He's been through a great deal, and yet has always seemed to triumph. Then he finally recovers the one thing he prized above all else, you, only to lose you again to the brother who hated him for no reason."  
  
"And he'd already lost me twice before…" Serenity said softly. "I can see why he retreated from you all, and from reality. I don't like it, but I understand."  
  
"I thought you would." Ami said comfortingly. She glanced at Minako. "Will you please go call Beryl and Relena? I'm sure that they'll want to hear all about this."  
  
"Yea, sure." Minako mumbled, and wandered quietly out to the phone.  
  
"Beryl and Relena have a house nearby. They've been searching for Heero for a very long time, and I'm sure Setsuna and Zechs are as well." Rei told her, looking sadly at her long time friend. This was obviously extremely hard for her.   
  
"Who are you?" An intruding voice challenged them all. Serenity looked up to see the only man she ever had or ever could love pointing a gun straight at her head.  
  
"Heero…"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~* Not Far Enough Away *~  
  
"Sir!" One of the assorted minions that so frequently arrive in the SM dimension ran up to a throne that held his master. This was the best news that they'd had in weeks.  
  
"What is it?" He asked lethargically. Ever since the disappearance of the woman he loved, the Dark Prince had been depressed and slow. Not only was she gone, but likewise were all of her senshi. It was no fun terrorizing a world with no one to fight.  
  
"Sir, we've located the Princess!" The minion announced happily.  
  
"What? You have?" An energy that had been absent for quite some time re-established itself on his face. "Where is she?"  
  
"In a nearby dimension." Throughout the hall, all ears had turned towards the dais. "We are currently in the process of preparing the ships to travel to the new dimension. We should be ready in a matter of hours."  
  
"Very well. Make haste!" The ruler declared. "We must leave as soon as possible." He laughed evilly. "Very soon, Serenity, you will be mine."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
~* End Chapter 4 *~  
  
Yay, it's done! Kudos to anyone who can guess the villain. If anyone's wondering, this chapter was delayed by writer's block. Hugs and chocolate to Janine for getting me out of it! ~Rose  



	6. Three little words

**Chapter 5**

_Dimension GW_

"Heero…" Serenity's eyes skillfully avoided the gun. Instead, they attached themselves to the now harsh and cold Prussian gaze directed back at her.

"Who are you?" Heero repeated flatly. He glared harshly back at the woman who dared speak to him as though they knew each other. As though there was something between them. She said his name with a tenderness he had not known since… since… since… Well, he wasn't sure if anyone had ever spoken to him in so gentle and loving a tone, but he was quite certain he didn't appreciate it.

A soft click echoed through the room as the safety was removed from Heero's gun.

_Dimension SM_

"Is all in readiness for our departure?" The Dark Prince glanced at his younger brother. The blue-haired man nodded sharply.

"Yes sire." His voice was cool and professional. Glancing slightly at the man above him, he asked a question that had bothered him for some time. "Are you sure this is the right thing to do? Shouldn't we just focus on taking over this time while its unprotected?"

"Sapphire!" The blonde man on the throne exclaimed. He stared with amusement at the man below him. The younger man's face clenched slightly at his brother's heavy and calculating stare. "Did you just question my authority?"

"Never, my lord." Sapphire responded quickly, soothingly. "I would never dare to challenge your leadership. It's just…"

"Darling Sapphire!" A woman in green clothes with green hair said loudly. Her voice was remarkably high pitched, and she followed her statement with a ridiculous laugh. "You ought to know better than to contradict his highness."

"Emerald." Sapphire replied by way of greeting. He turned and glared at her. "I take it that you have given command for the ship to leave as soon as possible."

"Of course." She gave a sickening smile, the sort that doesn't quite reach the eyes. "That idiot Rubeus does have his good points. We will arrive within the hour. I do wish though that we knew why we are going to some far off dimension when our enemies are here."

"Emerald, you're an idiot." Sapphire stated simply, rolling his eyes. "We aren't going to stay here and look for them any longer because they are no longer here. We are going to the alternate dimension to track down those whiny sailor brats. Once we have them, we can take over both that dimension and this one."

The sudden movement of the ship cut off whatever witty retort Emerald was preparing to throw at Sapphire. Caught unaware, the two were thrown off balance by the sharp jerk which obviously indicated that the ship had lifted off. The ruler remained seated quietly on his throne, although a nefarious smile now played across his lips.

"Emerald, Sapphire, please restrain yourselves from arguing." He instructed his subjects. "You're petty bickering is quite annoying."

The rest of the trip was silent as neither of the two could think of anything pleasant to say. Fighting was more or less the only way they knew how to communicate with each other. Not even so much as one of Emerald's loud, annoying laughs, filled the silence. Both Emerald and Sapphire merely alternated between staring at their master and staring at each other.

All the while, the sinister eyes of the man upon the throne remained focused upon a point that did not really exist. His intense gaze wilted anything that had the misfortune of stepping in front of it. He did, however, keep his mind on one specific point.

Revenge was going to be his, no matter what the cost was.

_Dimension GW_

The moment Heero's gun had clicked into it's ready position, Duo dove in front of Serenity, forcing her to stand behind him. The senshi had taken up positions of attack, their loves mimicking the gesture. The gesture of protection seemed to throw Heero slightly. His thoughts momentarily distracted, the gun was knocked out of his hand immediately by the swift leg of Haruka.

With speed that would have surprised anyone who'd never seen Heero in action before, he swiftly reached down towards his ankle and retrieved yet another gun from a holster there. However, the experienced senshi did not so much as blink before the new gun had been taken from him as well. In a flurry of lights and colors, eight female warriors stood where the girls had once been.

Unfazed, Heero turned and glared at them all. A third gun was removed from his favorite position, in the waistband of his pants against his back, and immediately aimed at Serenity. Before he could move again, Hotaru's glaive appeared at his throat.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Heero?" Duo exploded. The unusually serious and protective expression on his face forced Heero to pull up short. If Duo was being serious, something was greatly wrong. Quatre, Trowa, Wufei, and the blonde man were standing in a semi-circle around this new and suspicious looking woman.

"Hn." Heero replied, glaring full force at the indigo-eyed pilot. Heero glanced down at the deadly weapon for a moment, before glancing at the person holding it. A woman! And to think, Wufei wasn't even rambling about the injustice of it all.

"Hotaru, I don't think that's necessary." Serenity said quietly. She gently pushed the others from in front of herself, and stood alone before the fearsome Gundam pilot. She looked deeply into his Prussian eyes, and smiled slightly. The purple warrior lowered her weapon. Even now, unguarded, the woman did not appear to Heero to be afraid.

Each of the other senshi and pilots watched with baited breathe as Serenity moved timidly towards the only man she could ever love. She was cautious and gentle, as though afraid that any sudden movement would send Heero into an attack or flight. His heart pounded furiously, but with the skill and practice of many years, Heero remained motionless.

"Who are you?" He again inquired. Her footsteps did not slow or stop. She continued to walk in a straight line, directly towards him. She paused only a few inches from him, and held his gaze.

"I." She said. "Am Serenity. And you - are Heero. The man I love with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength, with everything I am. And nothing is ever going to keep us apart so long as I can help it."

As she spoke, Serenity's hand slowly lifted from her side, and ran down the side of his face. When everything had been said, Serenity slowly guided Heero's face toward hers. Gently, slowly, she pulled him closer and closer. Heero did not resist. He merely let himself go towards her. Inch by inch, each drew further towards the other until finally, their lips met in the sweetest of kisses.

As they joined together in that moment, a brilliant flash of light filled the room. When it faded, two bodies were lying on the floor. However, they were no longer as two. Their hands had been joined together, and were surrounded by a somewhat foreboding glow of silver.

"We really ought to speak to her about coming up with a less blinding entrance and exit." Quatre mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "We're all going to lose our eyesight if she keeps doing this."

"Maybe it's just her illuminating personality that causes these large blasts of light whenever she teleports." Motoki replied, laughter quietly in his eyes.

"That actually may be a part of it." Ami stated calmly, her eyes focusing again on the computer that was her trademark. "However, I feel it is more probable that the light is merely a built in defense mechanism of her teleports. It prevents anyone from seeing precisely what she does, so that the process can never be duplicated except by those she wishes to teach."

"Ami, can I make one little tiny request?" Makoto said, glancing at her long time friend. "Could you please remember to use smaller words with us, cause I for one understood only about the first word of what you just said."

Ami blushed as the others nodded their agreement. Quatre timidly reached out and took her in his arms, turning both of them brilliant shades of red. Still, peaceful smiles overcame their embarrassment as joy of the embrace took hold.

"I just hope they're all right." Michiru said fretfully. "Heero can be so stubborn, and Serenity would never defend herself against him is he tried to hurt her. She loves him too much for that."

"Hey, don't be so scared." Duo told her as cheerfully as he could. "If anyone can get Heero back to his usually, remembering us all self, it's gonna be Renity. Plus, it isn't like he could actually hurt her - she's a goddess."

"Duo, we all know she's beautiful, but I doubt that her beauty will help her to talk Heero out of his demented mental state." Wufei said seriously. "The man is being such a weakling."

Rei whacked Wufei's head, and he turned to stare at the raven-haired girl. "Duo meant that she is an actual goddess. Remember? An immortal? Honestly, sometimes you're as bad as Chad."

The eyes of the group rolled collectively, while the Gundam boys looked completely lost at the reference.

_Astral Realm_

Two figures appeared suddenly in the infinite realm. One was a tall, elegant woman. Her silver hair sparkled with the light of the stars. Blue eyes of unimaginable depth were situated perfectly on her face. Tranquillity such as is rarely seen by any permeated her whole being. She was Serenity.

The man who accompanied her was handsome. Prussian eyes peaked out from under chestnut locks. He was dressed in a dapper suit of midnight black, complimented with a vest of the same color. His coat hung open, and he appeared somewhat dangerous. Called by a repressed memory, he held a red rose in his right hand, directly in front of his heart. The original Heero.

"We are in the Astral Realm." Serenity said softly, responding to a question that was left unasked. "I have brought you hear so that we can talk uninterrupted. We will stay here until you remember."

Heero glared at her. She smiled softly, and gently took Heero's right hand in between her palms. She caressed it gently for a moment before Heero yanked his arm out of her reach.

"Fine." Serenity said, chuckling slightly. "You always did have to do things the hard way."

"Who are you?" Heero asked again. His expression was serious and cold, completely impassive.

"I told you already, I am Serenity." She rolled her eyes slightly as he raised an eyebrow, silently informing her that that was not an acceptable answer. "All right, if you want the whole truth, and I know you do, I'll give it to you. You do know that as soon as you remember all of this you're going to feel quite stupid, don't you?"

Heero said nothing.

"Over a thousand years ago, you and I lived in a kingdom on the moon." A hint of disbelief crept into Heero's eyes. "Yes, I said a kingdom on the moon. We've known each other for longer than that, but we're only supposed to remember that lifetime and this one at the same time. This is supposed to be our last try, and we're not going to screw it up."

"Last try at what?" A small smile returned to Serenity's face. He had finally asked her something other than who she was - this meant they were getting somewhere at last.

"Last try at fixing our lives so that we can live happily ever after. Now listen, you have died to save me once, during our lifetime on the Moon. I have died for you once that I remember, although twice in your current set of memories. You have known me as Serenity, Diana, Usagi, Selene, Artemis, and quite a few other names. That is not what is important."

"Than what is important?"

"There is only one thing that has ever been important. Only one thing that will ever be important. I can sum it up with three little words - I love you."

Before Heero had time to react, Serenity had pulled him close to her and captured him in a kiss. She closed her eyes and softly nudged Heero's memory, willing it to come to life again. Silently, Serenity used her gentle touch and deep love for Heero to plead with his mind to recognize her for what she was - the one person he had ever truly loved, his soulmate - no longer dead, but alive once more and safe in his arms.

As Serenity drew gracefully away from him, she dared not open her eyes. She sent up a prayer to high heavens, pleading for the return of what was lost. Heero said nothing for a long moment. Her greatest hopes dashed, Serenity took a step back from him.

Immediately, Heero's hand had reached out and caught her arm in its iron tight grasp. Serenity's eyes flew open.

Sea met sky as the reunited ones lost themselves in each other's eyes. All that existed was the two of them. The outside world, their friends, their family, heaven, their mission - everything - meant nothing. The only thing either cared about was that they were together again.

Slowly, gently, Heero pulled Serenity back towards himself. With a grace born of having done so a hundred thousand times, Heero deliberately brushed the back of his left hand smoothly along the curve of her porcelain face. Their hearts beat as one.

"I love you, too, my sweet Serenity." Heero said quietly before once more claiming her lips with his own.


	7. When all else fails... sleep?!?!

"You can sleep in my arms, you don't have to explain. When your heart's crying out, baby, whisper my name. 'Cause I've reached out for you when the thunder is crashing up above, you've given me your love." Celine Dion, "If That's What It Takes"

**Chapter 6**

_The Dark Ship_

The prince wandered quietly around his lair. Since their arrival in this new dimension, Sapphire had kept himself constantly busy with all of the youmas, organizing them into squadrons based on their skills. Some were to be seekers, on the look out for the princess. Others were to start random attacks in the hopes of provoking the senshi into battle. The best of them had a single purpose - capture the golden angel known as Sailor Moon or Princess Serenity. In the event of a battle, it was their job to attack and gain her at any cost, even their own lives. In spite of this, the prince could not help but find himself unsatisfied.

Diamond reached his throne and sat down, a ponderous expression coming over his face. The youma were good, to be sure, but Serenity and the senshi had proven themselves to be more than capable of taking them down time and time again. As much as the youma would die to capture, Diamond wasn't altogether certain that they would be able to do more than that. The senshi, and especially Prince Heero, would be sure to put up a tremendous battle for their precious princess.

"Sapphire!" He called loudly. "Sapphire, come here immediately!"

"Yes, my lord." The younger man appeared swiftly before him. His blue hair was once again neatly parted, and he was dressed in the same blue outfit he'd worn every day for the last decade or so. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"It is almost time to implement or plans. After studying the senshi's previous battles, something has become quite obvious to me. It is of the utmost importance that we defeat the senshi in no more than three battles. After a few battles, the senshi manage to learn many details about their enemy, find weaknesses, and defeat them. This is why Endymion and Beryl were defeated." Diamond paused. "We will succeed where they have failed."

"As your highness commands it, so shall we do." Sapphire replied with a slight inclination of his head. "Do you have any other commands for us?"

"Yes." Diamond smirked slightly. "I know you do not particularly care for Emerald, however the two of you are to work together on this project. Each of you must constantly know what the other is planning so that you may act in harmony with one another."

"Really, sire," Sapphire interrupted, "I must protest my assignment with that woman. She knows nothing of strategy, or tact, or - " and he grimaced - " laughter that doesn't break all the glass within five miles of it."

"Are you telling me that you would prefer to have this job all to yourself?" Diamond inquired, sounding as though he was completely indifferent to his brother's suggestion.

"Yes, you highness."

"Well then, it is good that I predicted your resistance. Wiseman told me you would not be agreeable, although I must say even I was able to divine that." Diamond's expression reeked of evil. "Which, naturally, is why we devised a plan to keep you and her… connected, on the same page, so to speak."

"Brother what are you - " Sapphire did not get to complete his question as invisible hands reached out and tied him onto the wall. When he tried to speak again, Sapphire found his jaw completely locked. His brother laughed cruelly at him, and Wiseman floated along to his side.

"Don't worry so much Sapphire." The blonde man said. "Remember, it is for the greater good that you must make this small sacrifice and deal with this tiny annoyance. Isn't that right, Wiseman?"

"Of course, my liege." The Wiseman said. His dark and mysterious hands floated around his crystal ball. "Emerald will be returning shortly, and we can continue upon her arrival."

"And our other project?"

"Moving precisely according to our plans. We will be able to take over this entire dimension in a matter of days. All we have to do is keep those meddling Gundam pilots contained until our base is fully built."

"Excellent! I wish to be delayed no longer than necessary." He turned and walked across the room to a hologram. "Soon, Serenity, you will feel my vengeance. You may rest assured that nothing will deter me from destroying you and all you hold dear."

He laughed then, that evil, harsh laugh that only villains have mastered.

_GW Dimension_

"Say, you guys, don't you think we should try and wake them up?" Minako asked the next morning while Makoto cooked pancakes. "They've been out of it for a long time."

In the long hours since Serenity and Heero had fallen asleep, someone had constantly been watching them. The silver field around them made it impossible to go within five feet of the two, but Ami had managed to rig up a health scanning device to make sure that neither of them was dying. Once it was in place, and someone was constantly on guard, the rest of the senshi scattered.

Rei and Wufei had gone downstairs to work out. Minako and Motoki contented themselves with watching the battles. Rei naturally bested Wufei virtually every time. He was not the most gracious loser, and his reactions were always fun to watch. Trowa and Hotaru split their time between watching Rei and Wufei and dusting off all of Hotaru's lamps.

Haruka, Michiru, Makoto, and Duo took most of the alternating watch shifts. In the time they were away from the princess and prince, Haruka and Michiru practiced their music, especially the song they had created for Serenity so that they could play it for her when she woke up. Makoto cooked up a storm of all of Serenity's favorite foods while Duo watched (and ate) and thankfully did not attempt to help.

"If I know Renity, and Heero especially, I'd say that's a good sign." Duo remarked, shrugging his shoulders. "At least Heero hasn't woken up and tried to kill her again yet."

"Duo!" The unified shouts and multiple whacks on the head let him know that his comments were, as usual, not appreciated.

"On second thought, Minako, maybe it would be a good idea to try and wake them up." Duo sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. "At least she appreciates my jokes!"

"A rare talent, I assure you." Ami murmured. Then, as though realizing what she had just said, the Mercury senshi blushed a brilliant shade of scarlet and began typing away at her keyboard. "It will most likely be better for both of them if we let them sleep this out. Renity has them both in her realm, where everything bends to her will, so I think it ought to be secure enough for them there."

All eyes turned to Quatre.

"They'll be fine, and this whole thing will work out better if we don't wake them up." Quatre clarified. Ami blushed, and nodded in agreement.

"I wonder what could be keeping Beryl and Relena." Rei pondered aloud. She turned and faced Minako. "You said they were coming right over, right?"

"Well yeah, that's what Relena told me when I let her know Heero was back." She gasped suddenly. "You don't think something's happened to them, do you?"

"Come now, they probably had something better to do than worry constantly about Yuy." Wufei said, openly scoffing the idea.

"You mean like us?" Trowa put in quietly. Looks were exchanged. In the months following his disappearance, they hadn't really done much save trying to find him.

The rest of breakfast passed quietly, with only the sound of Haruka and Michiru's music filling the silence.

_The Astral Realm_

"We really ought to head back to them." Serenity said with a sigh, rolling onto her back. "I know we only just got to see each other again after months apart, but they haven't seen me in a while either. Plus, as far as they know, you still haven't got a clue as to who I am. If I were them, I would be quite worried right now."

"Must we?" Heero asked quietly. He said so little, and yet he spoke volumes. He pushed himself up onto his right elbow, and stared down into her face. She stared back at him, thousands of sentences being spoken straight from his heart to hers, messages relayed by their eyes. Letting her out of his sight was obviously not something Heero intended to do any time soon. His mask had, for the moment, faded away, replaced by the desperate need to keep her constantly by his side.

"Don't worry, Heero." She replied, reaching up and wrapping her arms around his neck. She pulled him down to her, bringing his ear close to her lips to be sure that what she said next would stay with him. "I love you, and I will never leave you again. Nothing in this world or the next could ever make me stray from your side again."

"Sere…" His voice was quiet, gentle, and filled with an unusual quality that it almost never had. Serenity knew in that moment more clearly than ever before how much she meant to him. He was strong, as was she, but the truth was plain - without herself, he wouldn't be able to exist. With all of her heart, she acknowledged that the reverse was equally true.

"Not another word, my dearest, my darling, my Heero." She said quietly. "I swear to you, so long as it is within my power, we'll never be apart again."

"Never." He replied to her, the strength returning to his voice. He kissed her then, a deep, long kiss. "I'll always be with you. No matter what it takes, I'll never let you go."

"Oh, Heero." Serenity sighed. "That's the most beautiful thing anyone's ever said to me."

"I'm glad." Heero replied. Slowly, almost cautiously, a small smile found its way onto his lips. He gave a contented sigh before lying down next to her again.

"We really should go back to them now." She said, not for the first time. Even still, her voice was extremely reluctant. Heero took her hand and gave it a small squeeze. "On three. One… Two… Three."

Their spirits slid tranquilly from the Astral Realm and back into their own bodies.

_Dimension GW_

The first thing Serenity heard when she woke up was music, beautiful music pouring into her ears. A violin and piano duet, obviously Haruka and Michiru's work, floated gently through the room. Her hand was still entwined with that of the person she loved above all else, her soul mate.

"Shall we tell them we're awake?" Serenity mumbled quietly, sliding her body closer to his so that Heero could wrap his arm around her. She rested her head on his chest, and closed her eyes in relaxation.

"Hn." Heero sat up, bringing her with him. His head landed delicately on top of hers. They sat there for a long moment, neither really desiring to move.

"Aww, you guys, come look at this!" Minako may have been attempting to make her voice quiet, but she didn't really succeed. Immediately the heads of the other senshi and pilots poked into the room, the music ceasing. The moment broken, Serenity looked up at her friends and smiled.

"Hi everyone." She said softly. None of them failed to notice the protective, if somewhat possessive, way that Heero's arm wrapped around her small body. The two rose gracefully as one to stand in front of those they loved. The friends they hadn't seen in months, who now stood and stared at them.

"I told you Renity could fix him!" Duo exclaimed. Heero glared silently at him, the traditional Glare of Death that had long since stopped upsetting Duo.

"Duo," Serenity said, "if you value your life, I suggest you don't say another word. We've all been apart for months, and I don't intend to deny Heero anything at this point in time." She turned and looked up at the man she had just named. "If you wanna kill him, you have to do it today."

"Serenity!" Shocked glances were exchanged by those gathered. Heero simply held her closer. She smiled.

"Relax, you guys, I'm only kidding." Serenity stepped forward a pace from Heero and opened her arms. The others immediately ran into the space she left to hug her as tightly as they could. "I have missed you all so very much."

"I take it all of your memories are back in place, Heero?" Haruka asked calmly. He nodded his head sharply before stepping behind Serenity and once again wrapping his arms around her. He led her to a couch, and they seated themselves comfortably.

"So tell me, what have all of you been up to lately?" Serenity asked. The answers that came fast and furiously as all of them tried to speak up at the same time. Serenity raised her hands quietly in an attempt to get them to answer one by one. However, not even she was what managed to finally stop them.

The responsibility for that maneuver could be placed on two sounds. One was the methodical beeping of a computer, the signal of an incoming mission for the Gundam boys.

The other was the piercing screams floating through the open windows.


	8. Prelude to Battle

**Chapter 7**

_Dimension GW_

Silence reigned in the room as the pilots quickly exchanged glances. Heero, with the merest hint of reluctance, disentangled himself from Serenity's arms and moved towards the beeping computer. As he moved, the other scouts began to transform one by one, leaving only Serenity untransformed. She sat, transfixed by the image of Heero in front of his computer.

"01." He spoke, his voice echoing with an infinite calm.

"You have a new mission, for which you will require the aid of all four other pilots. You leave immediately, and will be attacking a base on L2 before the day is through. You are expected to retrieve a disk hidden in the innermost chamber. Plans for the base have been uploaded to your computer. 01 will infiltrate with 04, while the others provide cover. Understood?" The mechanic voice tonelessly filled the room.

Heero's eyes turned an astonishly blank shade of blue, bordering on empty. Serenity was on her feet in an instant, running to his side. She grasped his hand gently, forcing him to meet her eyes.

"Understood." He responded, his expression never altering. Serenity looked deep into him, nodding quietly. The computer beeped off, and Serenity smiled softly at Heero. A quiet pain filled her eyes. "We'll have to split up for a little while."

"Yes." She replied. "My team and I will go and protect the civilians from whatever is bothering them. You will once again prevent the organization OZ from destroying our planet. We will meet again."

Each word was deliberate; each word was exact. Heero stared at her, his eyes saying all that she might never hear. In the work they did, neither was ever assured of the other's safe return. Each moment was the last, and yet he still could not speak. One of his hands rose gently to touch her face, caressing her cheek.

"I love you too." Serenity said. Gently, chastely – swiftly, and sweetly, she leaned to her love and kissed him. "Ill tume al searin, tuame jeprotearon. Twandur, amedo."

Heero nodded his head once, and turned swiftly from her. He walked hastily from the room, the other pilots following after him.

"Duo!" Serenity called as they were almost out of the door. The braided one in question turned to face her. "Keep him and my brother safe, ne? And while you're at it – I'm not really in the mood to see any of my favorite guardsmen die, ok?"

"As you command, your highness." He said, the sarcastic edge in his voice at odds with the smile that plastered itself upon his face. He bowed mockingly, and and left. Then suddenly his head reappeared in the door. "By the way, Renity – don't die. Heero gets weird without you. Well, weirder than usual, that is. Not to say that he's – I mean – that is – never mind! Just don't die."

Serenity raised an eyebrow in royal superiority for a moment before bursting into her usual, joyous laughter. Her eyes sparkled merrily. "I'll try."

"'k then!" Duo's head vanished once more from the doorframe. Suddenly, the sound of various mobile suits powering up could be heard. Duo's final words were more than audible as he rushed towards the door. "Hey, wait for me!"

"Ready girls?" Serenity asked, looking around at her team. They nodded. Her smile took on an almost sadistic twist. "Good. Let's go show these creeps why they shouldn't mess with my planet."

"Ne, Renity, shouldn't you change first?" Haruka asked. Michiru drove her elbow into Haruka's stomach, glaring at her, but Serenity nodded her head. She snapped her fingers, and in yet another of those godforsaken blasts of light that perpetually occur around her, transformed into her goddess form – Artemis, Guardian of the Moon.

Artemis was certainly a sight to behold. Tall and beautiful, she stood above them all. Her garments powdery soft, Artemis shone against the pale white of her outfit. Green vines wrapped themselves around her, and delicately crafted silver sandals gleamed from her feet. Her hair floated about her in an ethereal way, colored in places by flowers, vines, and stars. A silver bow glimmered in her right hand. Over her shoulder was slung a quiver full of arrows made of moonlight. Truly, nothing could be compared to her beauty. Eyes clung to her for long moments.

"Could all of you please stop staring?" Serenity said, blushing. One by one, the others shook off the spell of her beauty and glanced away. Serenity looked to her older brother. "Motoki, do you want to come with us?"

"You know I do!" He exclaimed, immediately initiating his transformation into Helios. A golden fire glistened at the edges of his toga – clad body. In has hand gleamed a whip of blackest midnight color, wreaths adorning his hair.

"Impressive!" Venus exclaimed, her voice shrill with joyful exuberance. Then she laughed. "But you don't hold a pen to Artemis."

"Candle, Minako. Candle." Mars shook her head. The others glanced on in amusement.

"Are you coming or what? We have innocents to save!" Artemis proclaimed from the doorway. "I will not stand by while injustice is done to guiltless people."

She turned on her heel and stalked out, the pace of her resounding steps growing as she picked up speed and headed towards the screams. The rest of the senshi and Helios nodded at one another briefly before taking off after her.


End file.
